Unloading valve



'Nov.22,196:6 J.J.Y|NDROK 3,286,735

I UNLOADING VALVE Filed Feb, 10, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 F i H62 l7 L l6 INVENTOR.

JOHN J. YlNDROCK aim. Mr

ATTORNEY No 2 1966 J. J. YINDROCK UNLOADING VALVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1964 INVENTOR. JOHN J. YINDROCK Audi ATTORNEY J- J. YINDBOCK Nov. 22, 1966 UNLOADING VALVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1964 AT TORN EY United States Patent 3,286,735 UNLOADING VALVE John J. Yindrock, Des Plaines, Ill., assignor to Vapor Corporation, Chicago, L, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 343,515 Claims. (Cl. 137-62541) This invention relates in general to a valve, and more particularly to a valve adapted to be used for unloading a railroad tank car, although other uses and purposes may be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Heretofore, many difficulties have existed in the operation and maintenance of tank car unloading valves, such as they have not been completely leakproof, have required considerable time for opening and closing, and have not been satisfactory for use with all types of commodities. Further, heretofore known valves have had low unloading capacities.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved railroad tank car unloading valve that obviates the above named difficulties.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a tank car unloading valve that is positively leakproof, composed of a few number of parts, capable of being quickly and easily opened and closed, and easily repairable.

Still another object of this invention is in the provision of a tank car unloading valve having a relatively high unloading capacity, and including a body and ball valve member that need only :be rotated 90 between fully open and fully closed positions.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tank car unloading valve, wherein the valve body cavity is free to drain or empty upon closing of the valve to overcome the problem heretofore existent with commodities which may tend to set up.

A still further object of the present invention is in the provision of a tank car unloading valve including a body with a rotatable ball valve member having a pair of opposed openings and an outlet, whereby the inside of the ball member is at low pressure since the valve is open to pressure on both sides.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved tank car unloading valve having an improved seal mechanism that provides normal expansion of the valve parts and is capable of creating a tight seal when the valve is in closed position as created by the pressure differential across the seal mechanism.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tank car unloading valve, wherein a body is provided therein with a rotatable ball member in sealing relation with the body such that when the valve is in closed position, the pressure of the tankcar contents is stopped at the inside diameter of the valve seat.

' Another object of this invention is in the provision of a tank car unloading valve including a body having a 1'0- tatable ball valve member therein and a valve stem protruding from the body, and wherein means .is provided for opening the valve in an emergency should, the valve stem be disconnected from a source of power.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved tank car unloading valve that includes a body having a rotatably mounted ball valve member therein, wherein the ball valve member is held in both horizontal and vertical positions so. it will not become unseated during switching of the tank car or upon shocks and stresses incidental to transportation of the car.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure,

taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of let openings Ice drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. '1 is a front elevational view of the valve according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the valve shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of the valve according to the present invention, with some parts broken away for purposes of clarity and to show the direction of fluid flow when the valve is in open position; FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, and showing some parts in elevational view, and showing how the valve would be mounted on a tank car;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the ball valve member as removed from the valve and looking at one of the inlets;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the ball valve member shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a detail sectional .and end elevational view, partly fragmentary, and taken substantially along line 77 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a detail transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG. 1, and showing the means for properly rotating the ball valve member between open and closed positions.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 14, the valve of the present invention includes generally a valve body 10, a cover 11, a ball valve member 12, and a ball stem 13. The valve is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7 in mounting relation on a tank car bottom wall 14 having an opening 15 therein. Thus, the valve is carried within the tank car and is at all times in direct contact with the contents therein.

The valve body 10 is generally cylindrical and is pro vided with diametrically opposed inlets 16 arranged in the side walls 17, and an outlet 18 formed in the bottom wall 19 and along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the inlet 16 Further, the outlet 18 is somewhat greater in size than the inlets 16.

The cover 11 defines with the body-10 a cavity for receiving the ball valve member 12. This valve member includes a spherical side wall 20 having a pair of diametrically opposed inlet openings 21 therein. An outlet opening 22 is provided in the bottom of the spherical wall 20 wherein the axis of the opening is perpendicular to the axis of the inlet openings 21. The upper end of the ball valve 12 is notched at 23 to define a slightly outwardly and downwardly inclined shoulder 24 and a vertically positioned cylindrical guide face 25. The shoulder 24 coacts with an opposing annular shoulder 26 formed on the cover 11, While the cylindrical guide face 25 coacts with a cylindrical guide face 27 formed on the cover 11. The guide faces 25 and 27 guide movement of the ball valve member 12 as it rotates about its vertical axis. The outlet opening 22 is always in communication with the body outlet 18 since the axis of rotation of the ball valve member 12 is coincident with the axis of the body outlet 18. In the open position, the in- 21 of the ball valve member are axially aligned with the inlet 16 of'the valve body to provide communication between the cavity in the ball valve member and the interior of the tank car, and ultimately the outlet opening 15 of the tank car. Rotation of the ball valve member 12 or one-quarter of a turn brings the inlet openings 21 out of communication with the body inlet 16 and so that the solid sections of the spherical wall 20 close off communication between the body inlet 16 and the body outlet 18.

Preferably, the body 10 and cover 11 are made of malleable iron, while the ball valve member 12 is made of steel, although other materials may be employed.

In order to provide a leakproof S6811 between the ball valve member 12 and the body at the body inlets 16, a seal mechanism 28 is provided. Inasmuch as the body inlets 16 are identical on opposite sides of the valve body, and the sides of the ball valve member inlet openings 21 are identical, the seal mechanisms 28 :are similarly identical. Each seal mechanism 28 includes a'sleevelike gasket nut 29, externally threaded to be threadedly received in an inlet opening 16. The internal bore 30 extending through the gasket nut is substantially the same dimension as the ball valve member inlet 21. Preferably, the gasket nut is made of seamless steel tubing, although it may be otherwise constructed of other materials. Socket openings 31 are provided along its exterior face for receiving appropriate wrenches to remove and insert the seal mechanism in the valve body. An annular groove 32 is formed in the gasket nut 29 and extends longitudinally thereof, and widens at 33 prior to opening at the inner end of the gasket nut. Within the annular groove 33, an encapsulated coil spring 34 is positioned to bottom on the blind end of the groove. Preferably, the spring 34 is encapsulated in Teflon. A spring retainer 35, annular in shape, is arranged at the free end of the spring 34, and provided on one radial face with a recess for receiving the spring, while the other radial face engages against a radial face of an annular ball gasket 36. The face on the ball gasket 36 opposed to its radial face is formed to intimately engage the external surface of the ball valve member 12. The ball gasket 36, the spring retainer 35 and the spring 34 are all received within the annular groove formed in the gasket nut 29 and held in position against movement out of alignment therewith when in engagement with the ball valve member 12. Further, the spring 34 would be of such a size as to constantly exert a force against the ball gasket 36 when the seal mechanism 28 is properly mounted in the valve body 10. The annular gasket 36 is sized to engage around the periphery of the inlet opening 21 when the inlet opening 21 is in alignment with the body inlet 16. A radially extending flange 37 is formed on the gasket nut 29 to engage against a shoulder 38 on the valve body 10 and limit the inward position of the seal mechanism 28. It can readily be appreciated that repair or replacement of the seal mechanism can easily be made if so desired. Further, with the seal mechanisms 28 in position, they form some support for the ball valve 12 to hold it in proper position within the valve body 10. Further, the lower end of the ball valve 12 rests against the bottom wall 19 of the body as particularly shown in FIG. 4.

i The annular gasket 36 is preferably made of a flexible material such as glass-fiber, reinforced Teflon.

The valve of the present invention may be mounted in any suitable manner on the bottom of a tank car, and as shown is mounted by providing a plurality of stud bolts 39 that extend through the valve body 10 as well as the cover 11 and are threadedly held in tapped bores in the tank car bottom wall 14. Suitable gasket means 40 is provided between the tank car bottom wall 14 and the valve body 10 to define a sealing relationship therebetween. Similarly, a gasket 41 is provided between the body 10 and the cover 11 for sealing purposes. Nuts 42 are received at the upper ends of the stud bolts 39 for holding the cover 11 and body 10 in assembled relationship with respect to the tank car bottom wall 14.

. The cover 11 is provided with a bore 43 for receiving the ball stem 13. The ball stem includes a radial flange 44 that engages against an annular shoulder 45 formed by a diametrically reduced bore 46 below the bore 43'. The lower end of the ball stem 13 is provided with a diametrically extending blade 47 that is received within a diametrically extending socket or groove 48 formed in the top of the ball valve member 12, thereby effecting a connection between the ball stem 13 and theball valve member 12.

A pair of axially spaced flanges 49 and 50 are provided on the ball stem 13 above the flange 44 to define an an nular groove 51. A stern retaining screw 52 is received in the upper end of the cover 11, the inner end of which freely enters the groove 50 of the ball stem to prevent removal of the ball stem 13 from the valve.

. .At the "upper end of the ball stem 13, a wrench receiving socket 53 is adapted to receive a wrench that would normally have a long operating rod which would extend to the top of the tank car and be accessible for operating the valve. Should the operating rod become broken, a suitable wrench may be inserted through the tank car bottom wall opening 14, the body outlet 18, the ball valve member outlet opening 22 and fitted into the socket 54 formed at the underside of the top of the ball valve member and within its cavity. Thereafter, operation of the wrench in the socket 54 will effect opening or closing of the valve.

In order to determine the open and closed position of the valve, a pair of lugs 55 and 56 (FIG. 8) are formed on the ball stem to coact with a stop 57 formed on the cover 11, whereby the valve is in open position when the lug 55 engages against the stop 57 as shown in solid lines in FIG. 8, and in closed position when the lug 56 engages against the stop 57 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 8. The lugs 55 and 56 are formed relative to the positioning of the stop 57 in order to provide the full I extreme open andclosed positions as set forth. Thus, when the lug 55 engages the stop 57, the ball valve mem ber inlet openings 21 are in alignment with the body inlets 16. And it can be appreciated that only onequarter of a turn or a 90 turn is necessary to condition the valve between fully open and fully closed position.

It will be understood that modifications and variations will be eifected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A tank car unloading valve comprising, an upstanding substantially cylindrical body having a pair of diametrically opposed and axially aligned inlets in the side wall adapted to be in communication with the contents of a tank car and an outlet in the bottom wall in communication with the exterior of the tank car, said outlet axis extending perpendicular to the axis of the inlets, a cover secured on the body having a bore therethrough, a ball valve member rotatably mounted in said body and having a pair of diametrically opposed inlet openings in the side wall aligning with the body inlets when the valve is in open position and an outlet opening in the bottom that is constantly in communication with the body outlet, a ball stem extending through said cover bore to the outside of the valve and being coupled to the ball valve member for driving same between open and closed positions, and an emergency wrench-receiving socket on said ball. valve member accessible through the outlet opening and body outlet.

2; A tank car unloading valve as defined in claim 1, and means sealing the body inlets with the ball valve member.

3. A tank car unloading valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said sealing means includes a gasket ring in engagement with said ball valve member, means for resiliently urging said gasket ring against said ball valve member, and means on said body for holding said gasket ring and resilient urging means.

4. A tank car unloading valve as defined in claim 3, wherein said resilient urging means includes a coil spring and said holding means includes a nut removably held by said body having an axial groove guidably receiving said spring and gasket ring.

5. A tank car unloading valve as defined in claim 1, and means on said ballstem c-oacting with means on said COW! 0 limit. rotation. of the ball valve member and de- 5 6 fine at the extreme limits the fully open and fully closed 2,558,260 6/1951 Maky 251310 X positions thereof. 7 3,047,265 7/1962 Kaiser 251-174 X 3,067,977 12/1962 Anderson et a1. 251315 X References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

743 511 11 1903 Huxley 251 174 E. FEIN, Assistant Examiner. 1,730,833 10/1929 Turner 251144 

1. A TANK CAR UNLOADING VALVE COMPRISING, AN UPSTANDING SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL BODY HAVING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED AND AXIALLY ALIGNED INLETS IN THE SIDE WALL ADAPTED TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CONTENTS OF A TANK CAR AND AN OUTLET IN THE BOTTOM WALL IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE EXTERIOR OF THE TANK CAR, SAID OUTLET AXIS EXTENDING PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE INLETS, A COVER SECURED ON THE BODY HAVING A BORE THERETHROUGH, A BALL VALVE MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BODY AND HAVING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED INLET OPENINGS IN THE SIDE WASLL ALIGNING WITH THE BODY INLETS WHEN THE VALVE IS IN OPEN POSITION AND AN OUTLET OPENING IN THE BOTTOM THAT IS CONSTANTLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE BODY OUTLET, A BALL STEM EXTENDING THROUGH SAID COVER BORE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VALVE AND BEING COUPLED TO THE BALL VALVE MEMBER FOR DRIVING SAME BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, AND AN EMERGENCY WRENCH-RECEIVING SOCKET ON SAID BALL VALVE MEMBER ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE OUTLET OPENING AND BODY OUTLET. 